Dear Friend of the Chili Bowl,

Thank you for joining 1150 concerned citizens who have signed the petition urging councilmember Mike Bonin to pause the pending demolition permit and help to move L.A.’s last Chili Bowl from its longtime home at 12244 West Pico Boulevard to a safe location within the city of Los Angeles.

The Chili Bowl has now been wrapped in demolition fence and scaffolding. Thanks to Friend of the Chili Bowl David Silvas for documenting the situation as of this morning.

It’s disturbing that the property owner apparently has time to invite an advertising agency to post Tiffany & Co. posters on the fence, but not to post the legally required blue demolition notification signs.

So what’s going on? We wish we knew!

After one cordial phone call from Mike Bonin’s planning staff earlier this month, they are not responding to our repeated requests to meet with us and the Los Angeles Conservancy to discuss how the Chili Bowl can be moved rather demolished from this parcel which does not have any redevelopment project pending.

Because Bonin’s staff are not communicating, we just don’t know what the property owner is doing to the Chili Bowl, or if he has the support of the councilmember. We need your help.

Even if you’ve already reached out, please call Mike Bonin's office at 310-575-8461 and/or email Councilmember.Bonin@lacity.org with the simple, updated message, which you can add to if you like: "I care about the Chili Bowl at 12244 West Pico Boulevard, which is currently surrounded by scaffolding and has an active demolition permit. I am asking the Councilmember to resume discussions with Friends of the Chili Bowl and the Los Angeles Conservancy, and to work with the property owner and find the funds needed to move this historic Los Angeles treasure somewhere safe, and not to let it be demolished. Thank you."

This is just a matter of money and real estate and time. Surely the answer can be found to save the only giant Chili Bowl in Los Angeles so it can enjoy another 87 years in the sun. Maybe you’ve got the perfect spot for a giant Chili Bowl to call its temporary home? Call us—we can help!

That’s all the news that fits in a giant Chili Bowl. Please continue to share the petition (http://www.change.org/SaveTheChiliBowl) with friends who love the Chili Bowl and want to see it saved. And stay tuned for additional updates as they happen.

Yours for Los Angeles,
Kim Cooper & Richard Schave
Friends of the Chili Bowl